Why is “this hair thing” such a big deal? Speaking on Radio 702‚ show host Eusebius McKaiser gently schooled a caller about the importance of understanding the politics of black women's hair‚ following allegations of racist practices at Pretoria Girls High School. A woman who identified herself by the name Elzette‚ called into the show and suggested that the students “are too sensitive” stating that they should just “tidy their hair up a bit” and make sure that it is “relatively clean”.The woman explained that in 2003‚ she was called in by her son’s principal to address his untidy hair‚ and suggested that people too easily pulled out “the race card”. “I just think there are more important things to worry about than really making a big deal about this whole bird’s nest thing‚” she said.McKaiser went on to explain that current debate about black women's hair was about far deeper issues of identity and culture.“Let me explain to you why it is a big deal for some people. For some people it is not only about hair.“If it was only about hair and it doesn’t really trigger in them other feelings and issues that are very important to who they are and their place in this country‚ then I would agree with you that it is just a hair issue then we can move on and talk rocket science‚ the daisies and rhino instead‚” he said. The host‚ who is standing in for Redi Tlhabi‚ went on to add that many students feel “excluded” and are made to feel like “visitors from the townships in the suburbs”.“The truth of the matter is simmering underneath the hair conversation are feelings of ‘I don’t belong in this school‚ I don’t have a stake here‚ our moms and dads are typically not part of the moms’ committee‚ they seldom get onto the SGB (school governing board) or they may be the token black professor who is the chairperson and the rest of it is the white mums and dads.“There are incredible experiences that are real‚ based on exclusion and a sense of you know what‚ as black girls we might be the numerical majority but we are still the cultural minority in this school and this is the story of the country‚ universities and corporates.“It's not really the job of victims of oppression to educate you about what is going on” he said to the caller.Listen to it here: ..